Michael Mancuso
University of Michigan College of Engineering
“Having the opportunity to study automotive engineering from the very best automakers in the world, and in the most technologically advanced country, Japan, made me want to study abroad. I have always wanted to visit or live in Japan, and studying at a university in an industrial town was the perfect way to get an authentic living experience. I was excited to meet other international students and dive into a new culture.
More than that, I got to learn in a completely different environment about a subject I’m passionate about, and meet students from around the world with those same passions. Not only did I learn about the content of my study abroad program, automotive engineering, but I learned a tremendous amount about Japanese culture, language, food, and living, and got to meet many other students from completely different backgrounds sharing the same experiences and changes I was. I would recommend studying abroad anywhere to any student at Michigan- just for the sake of living a different way of life. Now, I think fondly of my time in Japan, and see possibilities of working or living there in the future.”
Advice from Michael: “Apply to more study abroad programs than you believe you will be accepted to: even those with rigorous requirements make exceptions and are seeking passionate students to partake in their program. Always apply!”
